I sometimes get asked what I charge by the hour. Photography is an art, and the actual session is possibly the shortest part of the whole process. I normally keep my answer short and sweet, but I’d like to explain the details for those interested. Most people have no idea how involved professional photography is.
The first interaction with a client is the inquiry. This can take just a few emails/phone calls or it can take many. There is no limit to how much time I will spend emailing or talking with a client. We discuss plans for location, time, wardrobe, and packages. I take care of contracts and invoices and prepare my clients with styling information.
For the session day, I charge camera batteries and prepare memory cards. I drive to the location or studio which is around 10-30 minutes each way. For newborn sessions, I prepare the set ups with specific backdrops and wraps, flokatis, tiebacks, and other props. Newborn prep can take 30 minutes or more. Family sessions take about an hour of shoot time while a posed newborn session takes up to 3 hours. Many clients only see this part of the process as what they’re paying for.
After the session, I either drive home from an outdoor session, or clean up the studio, launder, and pack up outfits and wraps from a newborn session. Then I immediately transfer images to my computer. When I start the editing process, I cull the images and eliminate the ones with eyes closed or other flaws. I then edit all of the best ones by hand. Some photographers only take pictures and pay someone else to cull and edit the images. I personally create the entire image myself and do all of my own editing and production.
My services are inclusive at the moment. I remove blemishes and distracting things in the background. I make any and all adjustments that are needed for me to be happy with the end result that I am delivering to my clients. I do not charge extra for those adjustments and edits. It usually takes a few hours to edit a session.
There are “fees” that a photographer pays just to function. Everything done on the computer requires a subscription. Website, host, booking platform, editing software, invoicing system, contracts, online galleries, etc. are all individual items that a photographer pays for each month. Many of us pay for continuing education courses throughout the year. Newborn wraps, backdrops, flokatis, outfits, headbands and extras, are all investments by the photographer as well.
Now to the main items used during a session. The gear! A professional full frame camera body will run anywhere between $2,500-$7,000. That’s just for the camera body, not including lenses. The lenses can run anywhere from $500-$2500 each. You need the camera body AND a lens to produce a photo. Most of us use more than one camera body and multiple lenses. Additionally, certain situations require light stands, tripods, lighting and soft boxes or umbrellas, memory cards, batteries, and bags for carrying all of it. Plus insurance, maintenance, and updating of gear throughout the year.
The “hour” long session is only a small fraction of what it takes to produce a full gallery of carefully hand edited, timeless photographs. So next time a photographer gives you their investment information, they have crunched a lot of numbers to make sure they’re profitable.